1947-02-08 — Page 5

THE HONGKONG TELEGRAPH, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 1947.

Life in Russia To-day-Final Article

Cultural and other spare time pursuits

SOVIET people have much w puzzled and delighted at Mr Churchill's statement in "My Early Year" that "politles was great fun.

the same tasto in amuse- ments as we have; but their re- creation. like ours, was cut during the war.

Football has a big following, but the Russians think it strange of un to play during the winter,

generally make important announce- ments first, and anyone who listens systematically would plek up much interesting news which is excluded from the papers through luck of

There is tennis in the big towns, but the general standard of play is still low. Volley ball is widely piny-space.

l.

The cinema la popular, and people giver brondensting high priority, so "The Soviet regime has never They cannot understand why the like the sume kind of Alma as ground is not too hard and why we do not slip up on the ice. In Russia cinemas to go round, and cinema- primitive.

we do, but there are not enough that equipment and wiring are rather summer in the football season, andguing is not auch a regular part of

At one period of the war matches take place in the late after-fe.

onc used sometimes to get noon, when the heat in less.

Tehulkovaks concert from the wired wireless "thrown in" when one was phoning.

There are no football pool and not much betting my matches. But In normal times there are horse races with n State-operated tote. Of course, there are no bookies.

At the end of the war horse-racing was already beglaning again in Moscow, and there is Stalo lottery. But the main outlet of the gambling instinct has been, oddly enough, the war loan.

One in encouraged to subscribe generously to the State loans; in some cases, inferent is paid, and In other canes lucky numbers win prizes --such ns à fur cont, blcycle or something equally desirable.

JL

Nearly everyone who can opts for the chance of a prize. After all, the interest would be only a small stim. and Russians are not interested in small sums,

Union

Most parks in the Soviet are called "Parks of Culture and Jes." When a park is shut I have seen notices which say: "Pork not working

These parks have trees and flower bets and benches like other porks;: but, in addition, skating rinks and places to hire skis. In the big Mon- cow parks there are also parachute Lawers and many of the amusements of a fun fair.

PALACE PARKS

unceas-

E loudspeakers blure Ingly, and many of the trees bear large portraits of icnding members

You have probably seen some of the best Soviet Alms, which are so good on any in the world; but, of course, there are many less Important films which do not get out of Russia.

Perhaps the biggest difference is that in Rumin there is no system of stars. There are well-known actors and netresses, but people go to see a film rather than a star.

The mainstay of the repertory is, of course,

die classical French operetta of Offenbach and the Vien- just getting under way. nese school. Soviet operetta is only The Russions do not know "The Beggar's Opera, and Gilbert and Sullivan. There is chance for u Sovic, producer make a big repu. tallon by storting up with Gay and Gllbert and Sullivan.

Q

I

sny.

The theatre, on the other hand. Is on a higher plane than thing that exists in any other coun- try. The Government have always given the dramn high priority as a means of popular education, and are fast developing n network of theatres all over the country,

This series has described many phases of Russian life to-day which are probably un- known to most people outside the country. It ends with this fifth and final instalment.

The author is

LAWRENCE

JOHN

formerly Press Attache to the British Embassy in Moscow'

Soviet actresses have none of the "glamour" in the technical sense which is part of the stock-in-trade of actresses in Western countries.

a

E

In writing of the Russian ballet am sure to shock some readers: if criticise I shall be accused of blasphemy, but if I praise without qualification I shall be told that 1 um several decades out of date.

The fact in that ballet in the Soviet Union is Arst-class In fta own particular line, but both style and repertory are limited;.;.

scen

POCKET CARTOON

GRAHAH

"Calling car 99-1 have jurt taken your bishop.

.. Over!"

Alarming State of Affairs

By "CANDIDUS”

You will see better corps de bal-IF the peoples of the British let in Russia then you have before, and dancers who dance their Empire and the United particular parts are perhaps a tiny States were to put the same bit better than the greatest Western ballerinas so many of whom

and enthusiasm in are energy themselves Russian.

But the standards of decor are

winning the pence as they did lower. For instance, the decoration in winning the war, they, the for the productions .I saw of "Siceping

the world in general would be far would be reject happier to-day. Beauty ed by a British ballet audience.

But in

in their Une the Russians

Recent unequalled.

performances

arc

own

of Giselle, particularly when Ulanova

is dancing, are perhaps the

most

Since the VJ Day, there has been a long-scemingly never-

wonderful ballet performances Tending-story of sirikes, dia-

have ever seen.

TASTE

TN painting "realism" la the established polley-and this means realism in the Victorian sense.

Not merely Is Picasso condemned; but, for instance, some of our most effective and popular posters-such as those of the LFTB--are consider- ed by the Union of Soviet Artists to deviate from the correct line. One is naked: "But how

of the Soviet Government. I prefer | sense of their own social importance the year and always see something / derstand thigh"" can the people in-

back

myself.

an

cord and universal dissatisfac- tion.

In Britain, the immediate re- sults of a Socialistic doctrine Russian theatres were the highest in

can only be described as chaotic. the world, and more care was taken

If nationalisation of certain in- with every phase of the art.

The number of good theatres han

dustries and public services can The Soviet stage has produced been multiplied many times over,

show many people of great charm in pri- and in Moscow

no better results than those obtaining to-day, then the one could go to vate life, but they seem to have less different play almost every night of the parks attached to some of the than an Englsh actress of the same new and worth seeing

soon the promises of millenium old palaces of the nobility near standing would have. I have always

officini taste is that of the in- The Moscow,

The theatres are heavily subsidised, telligent working

are appreciated for what they such na the park and

meri. Taste in considered beautiful palace of Ostankino, which hus been above

actresses far ❘ which makes it possible to have painting comes to most people later are worth, and the people who ordinary mortals such converted with superb showmanship

as large costs and to spend whatever than taste in literature or music, swallowed into

the time is necessary or rehearsal, a museum of serfdom.

because it is easy to get hold of a

assurances of This is based on observation in well as having several plays running book and not very diflent to go to political experimenters realise It sends a shudder down onc's

to realise how many thousand other parts of the Soviet Union. I

Russia proper, and may not apply in simultaneously at each theatre. concerts, but to nequire a ilking for their mistake, the sooner will serfe the Sheremetlev family had lao record that in Uzbekistan,

good painting one must go specially and what their powers over them

SOVIET THEATRE

and many times to the very few we get back to days of political were. They had their own theatre have glamour in our sense.

for instance, the leading actresses

places on earth where good pictures sanity. with serf dancers and singers; the

Brawn. palace was built by serf architects; times that of the

Russia, with a population say four methods of production are are

nowadays traditional, and I My view is that Soviet omcial taste and even the family portraits were

Kingdom, fancy there are no new dodges to in literature is sound, but unsophis-

The closing down of first-line painted by nerf artists.

rehas about the same number The stan-

of be learned from the Soviet theatre, ticated. I cinemas as we have. Some of the But the quality of the productions is worthy, but it misses something. The sufficiency of coal is possibly the dard of taste was

canonises nothing un- | industries because of an in-: an mediocre as would expect from people who

best cinemas in Moscow are well something for above what we are official taste in music is already more relied on serfs for half the

appointed and efficient, but mort accustomed to. best Soviet cinemas

limited; and in painting and sculp-first writing on the wall which are rather

I do not say that the best Soviet ture the artist is asked to work to will spell the doom of those who dingy, hings in life.

sometimes dirty, and suffer severe-productions are better than the Old the wrong speclication. nationally from bad projection and insum-Vic productions, but they are quite Russian game. It lu played

with

Russians cient illumination.

great Kreat seriousness by both sexes and

of good and there are many more they are historically much, but rush in where angels would For instance, the night scenes in

nearer to all classes, and important

Illiteracy matches Desert Victory" which. Incidental-

fear to tread. However, this is than our own people. are fully reported in the Press and ly, was a

And this is not only in Moscow Books are harder to get, and closely followed by the public.

Krent eye-opener to the and Leningrad, but in the most dis-book is more of an event. Russians

a new not a political column, and the Soviet publie-were scarcely visible tant capitals of the Union Republics. read slowly and methodically writer boasts A

championship match will n a large concert hall in Moscow with at all, and I have heard of people I have seen performances at Tash- walking out in the middle because

and remember more through, an eaper and well-informed Qu dience, ranging from small boys to they could see nothing. tilstinguished "Grossmeisters" of the game.

One

Cliess is

is perhaps the

SOVIET RADIO

them.

ali

no

particular

kent and in Armenin which were up what they read than the last two the alarming state of affairs in of political leaning. Nevertheless, to this standard, we all enjoyed them generations in the West have remem. without understanding a word

the homeland to-day must call All printing is in the hands of the

of bered.

the language.

The demand

and last

Every Park of Culture and Rest has its "Chess Hall," a large bare

URING the war all private owners the inund for seals far exceeds Government, who print only what for an expression of grave con- room furnished only with tables,

of receiving sets had to and hard to get into a theatre 11 was as they think will do the people good. cern from the Colonies. After

in Moscow Practically all the classics of chairs and chess boards. These are

them in, so that wireless listening!as in London. It was easy to and countries are obtainable, some more

allall, the political faction which usunily full of a clientele of all types, street corners and in clubs.

was confined to loudspeakers at the theatre from the stream of people easily than others, but modem works rules Britain also rules us- playing in a most un-Russian silence

in the street asking cach new arrival are scrutinised carefully for policy and, at the moment, many of us while spectators move from board to Last year these receivers, which if he had a spare ticket. Lonely before they can be transinted. board, breathing down the players' had been carefully put away, were foreigners sometimes take an extra Soviet tacle in modern literature is don't like it. necks and crowding round an in- | returned to the owners, The sets ckel on purpose,

conditionext by what is available in teresting match.

were generally in good condillon,

The highbrow theatres of Moscow Russian. At least two members of the Mas- and comparatively few of them had classics of all countries and all ages, are ready renders, and it is not THAT we have the same feelings

and Leningrad perform the world's By no means all Soviet citizens mislaid. been married to leading Russian chess players, and one of Russions like to listen to foreign

are prepared k spend any unusual to see someone reading the Moscow arranged for the

etallous, and nearly all the pets are amount of time studying the produc- newspaper aloud to a group of 11s-about China is also quite natural.

tion of a new piece, champion to give a simultanenus ex short-wave. They were easy to buy

teners, Newspapers were hard to hibition against members of the before the war.

Here are some Engilsh plays which get during the war and were care- For our part, we wish to be friendly opera and ballet companies. He

Even so wired wireless and public have been performed in Moscow fully Icod

and constructive; but today there conceded two draws, one to a bal- loudspeakers prevail.

during the war:

The average reader, after reading appears to be a desire in China to Shakespeare: "Othello," "Twelfth the Soviet communique and glanc-spurn friendly overtures, to ignore lerina.

"As You Like It."

cow ballet are

them

is no reside touch about the Soviet

and

of concern und apprehension

radio, and much of it is more like o Night." "The Taming of the Shrew," Ing at the headlines, turned first to the necessity and wisdom of reelpro-

SWIM FOR FUN

but PEOPLE play ai cards,

the games seem simpler than ours, and have never seen anyene platy bridge-or, for that matter. whist. Once, on a railway journey. I was asked by some

Red Army officers to make up

Preference, n feur at had previously imagined that this game was played only by the respect able old Indles in Russian country houses a hundred years ago.

Cricket is unknown to them, ond | are" is not distinguished from croquet.

In the summer there is a rond deal of swimming, and this is one of the few sports which Russions of all ages enjoy for the fun of it. Your Russian always seems to have the ideo that in undertaking sport he must equip himself to be in better citizen.

the foreign news on the back page

Sheridan: "The School for Seam-which he reads all through, looking city, and foster a

10

spirit of dal," "The Duenna."

Isolationism which is fast ruining Goldsmith: "She-Stoops to

the great country which should be so closely associated with Hongkong.

quer."

for meaning holween 'the lines and Con-noting the position of each item on

the page.

Russlan

Then he would turn to the front

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page for more war news or home It is true, of course, that the people First

NO CRIME

come

public meeting than a broadcast.

Phere are plenty of good conceris, but the repertory J- vorwedd with Russian classical music. There Russia and the other countries of the nre endless concerts of folksongs of

Priestley: "The Inspector Came." Soviet Union-and of Allied coun-

Shaw; ""Pygmalion." own. "Annie

Dickens: The Pickwick Club." front news, Next he would Took of China have but little say in their tries, including our Laurie" and "The Miller of Dee" I This last is one of the greatest at the two middle pages, which gave political destiny, but those who be successes of the Moscow Arts Theatre mare background to the news on the particularly remember.

leaders must surely realise the BBC's feature programmes,

There is scarcely anything like and makes perhaps the best play of front page.

that as one of the Five Great Powers adapted novel. The production and any Keneral the Soviet radio English spirit, although Sam Weller is excellent and very much in the

in the world China not only has a duty to her people but to the world technically uninventive. But there

disappointing. some first-class readings from is rather

general. The present political literature--for instance,

passagos producers do not yet seem to under-THE Soviet papers give no crime in

stories and very little "human in-trend is harmful alike to China as from "War and Peace" read by the stand the cockney type. greatest actors of the Soviet

terest" material. The style of writ-well as to her friends. Union. Moscow producers were incessanting in generally verbose and often. The equivalent of "talks" in our in their demand for new English fot. programme is often filled by a plays, and there is no doubt that Periodicals of various kinda were newspaper article which is merely more would have been put on if keenly sought. They are all rather HONGKONG could, of course, read out. Radio.personality scarcely we had been able to produce more highbrow, the most popular being

much more that it does Ju exists except in Levitan, the Stuart good war plays of suitable kind. Hibberd of Russia.

There have been fewer Americanus Time and Tide,

Ogonyok, which is about as serious endeavouring to offset the absurd and damaging propaganda carried plays, but Lillian Hellman's "The

Adventure stories are popular, and on by the multitude of vernaculor Little. Foxes" and

on the detective stories are read with de- newspapers which are published Russians have not got the idea that PUT children's programmes

light by all who know enough English here. The British case is distorted There are also variety theatres and can get hold, or copies. A beyond imagination, and nothing aparts are something for all ages and more enterprising, and Lev Kas more or less on the lines of our book called "The Mystery of Dr appears to be done to counter some for everyone except the hall, the sil's "Children's Round Table" 18 as revues, but these do not, on

the Burago" was very popular during of the ridiculous reports which malm and the blind, just because it popular as anything the BBC does, whole, attract as much talent as the the war, and there are indications of appear. It is not only necessary

excellent revues in our country. The reason an atte

1001 for us to emphasize facts, but to cise physical skill,

children's writers, all of whom

novels. delective

This will As our Embassy flanked the river our English children's literature from to the highbrow theatres.

tious propaganda which is pumped

· be expected to fulfi a social certainly some of us thought it would be a "Alice In Wonderinnd"

out daily against Great Britain In purposel good idea to be able to take a boat Good broadcasts of Winnie the OPERA AND BALLET, At school the children learn to

this British colony. out in the evenings. We found wo Pool and

funow their own literature, and n Irresponsible publications which

Very often this sentiment amounts to nothing more than, so to speak, saying grace before meals. But the

FOR CHILDREN

are

[Rhino" were very notes s.

do

in fun to be out of doors and exer- The Russians have some knows that the State has given priority templ to develop a Soviet school deny as factual some of the tenden-

onwards.

of

First German General To

Be Released

£9,000 Gift

For Princess

Elizabeth

A dark-eyed Jewess, smiling Biggest gift for Princess Eli- away her tears in Stuttgart, zabeth when she turns 21 on Germany, told the story of the April 21 will come from the first German general to be given Government-at least £9,000 freedom from American impri-yeur. sonment-her husband.

should have to join a rowing club been given: Uncle Remus" have!

And technically, too, the children'.HE Russian opera is one of the spontaneous taste for the more popu- do give offence, and at the same helped my husband to be released."

Ifer income, at present £6,000 a yeur, will rise to £15,000, the amount laid down in the Civil Idit Act of 1937.

Whether that amount will be 'in creased to allow for the rice in the cost of living rests with Parliament. The cost of maintaining an esto- blishment is far greater to-day. than when the. Act was passed.

2.

It is expected that the Princea will also be given her own residence In London,

t in Windsor Castle.

At present she has her own suito

Holding a wartime photo of Li-Gen Guenther Lohmann of the Luftwaffe in frembling hands, 46-year-old Frnit Marla Lohmann said: "After our years of suffering, this is too good to be true."

A letter with an American army postmark was lying on a table in her tiny Stuttgart flat, and she re-opened it tenderly because it must have

most magnificent in the world: Jur Russian classics, such as Push-time Incite opposition to British all. When the dimculties of joining programmes are more, inventive. than it performs mainly

"I know of course that you were Russian kin, Tolloy, Chekhov, Krylov's fables Ideals and rule, should be suppress- never affiliated with the Nazis," said were overcome we found we had the rest. One broadcast of Gogol's operas, which are too litle known in and parts of Lermontov, is almooted, and those responsible for publica- the letter to Lohmann, "and regretted to take the sport very seriously la-short alory "A Night in May was: the West

Lon deported. What would happen the course pursued by your country deed,

Wo

were obliged to Join liko

BBC one of the very best

The King has a number of The younger brother of opera "is Shakespeare is read in modern to a British newspaper operating in und to train

as far back as 1938," in caries feature programmes.

"gracious favour"' residences at bis usually at a very early hour. For-

During the war there was no prostota, and the alm of the au-Russian and is not made a subject of Chind-or any other country for

disposal Fort Belvedere. Hampton thorilles la to set up, an operetta examination. Not many of his that matter which went out of its The man who wrote that state Court and Bagobot Park (which was tunately, I became ill after the first

gramme planning, and it was impos- theatre in every city.

plays are known by most Russians, way to discredit the country in ment Inst year, Fru Lohmann practice.

sible to find out what was going to In Soviet life the operetta fils part but he strikes home.

which it was permitted to operate, explained, had been a foreign pupils home of the late Duke of Con- Perhaps the Russians are too near be broadcast, The radio - officials of the place lett. vacant by the ab- Dickens and Kipling, Mark Twain and which published tissues of lies of her husband at a German war the age when excessive physical described their method as "putting sence of good jazz. The best operetta and Jack London are favourite read- and misrepresentations? Not a very college when the world was still at Also under consideration as Prin work is the lot of nearly; everyone. on the most important news first,” and light ballet-theatres, like the ing of young and old and Byron has dificult question to answer, but one peace. A ́flim, signature at the

Elizabeth's London. home

1 Thoy get a great deal of enjoyment | Indeed, the Soviet wireless does | Stanislavsky Theatre in Moscow, are the usual succes d'estimo. Priestley which should have been considered bottom was unmistakable."Albert C. Princess Beatrico's suite in Kensing out of life, but they have no word ---Even before the revolution (ths | very good," but there are still-some is the best known among contem-- and' dealt with in Hongkong many Wedemeyer. L-Gen of the United ton Palace, which has been receni- for fun, One Russia Intellectual standards of producton of the best dreary operettos in the provinces. Iporaries.

many months agɔ.

States Army."

ly redecorated.

in

order have access to boats at

crewa

the

universal

naught),

:

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